Mitt Romney’s Position on Stem Cell Research

Romney’s Position on Stem Cell Research: There is a lot of information online including a plethora of quotes in regards to Mitt Romney’s position on stem cell research. Complicating the issue for Mitt is the fact that his wife suffers from multiple sclerosis, a disease that may benefit from stem cell research.

His general position in 50 words or less is that he is “pro life,” believing that life begins immediately at conception. Because of that position, he is against the practice of abortion or stem cell research that involves the destruction of human embryos. He opposes government funding of such stem cell research, but has said that it is not unethical to use “excess” embryos from IVF clinics.

“I am in favor of stem cell research. I am not in favor of creating new human embryos through cloning.”
Quoted 5-01-2005, National Review Online

Essentially, he supports finding a “scientific solution” to stem cell research that does not involve the use of human embryos & the ethical dilemma that it presents. (including induced pluripotent stem cells & something called “altered nuclear transfer“)

Here are some good resources if you’d like to dig down more on Romney’s position on stem cell research:

“I believe stem cell research is important to our state, for our nation, and I also believe there should be ethical lines drawn on the appropriate type of research. Stem cell research is important, and I’ll support it, and I’m gonna continue to encourage ethical lines to people be drawn in a way that respects human life…” Quote 5-08-2005, Tempe, Arizona

Have you found any more recent quotes from 2012 from Mitt Romney on stem cell research? Please comment below.